The Collector’s Edition: 14 Works On Paper

The Southwest has a rich heritage of many art forms—among them, works on paper. Artists from around the world have been drawn to this corner of the United States, bringing deep knowledge of woodcuts, watercolor, etchings, lithography, and more. 

Explore a selection from the gallery’s array of works on paper and see if one calls out for your own collection.

Gene Kloss (1903-1996) - Untitled (Riders in the Dusk), watercolor, 17 x 23 ½ in.

Known for her mastery of etching and aquatint printmaking, Gene Kloss also worked in other media. Her eye for color is on full display in this moody yet electric watercolor scene.

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Doel Reed (1894-1985) - The Southwest, Ed. of 25, aquatint, 10 ⅝ x 16 ⅝ in.

Often referred to as the “master of aquatint”, Doel Reed was classically trained—but not in printmaking. He taught himself the art of aquatint, bringing it to his students at Oklahoma State University, which distinguished the school’s art program from others in the region.

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Sherrie McGraw (b. 1954) - Remains of the Day, watercolor, 28 x 20 in.

Sherrie McGraw’s talent knows no bounds. An award-winning artist, revered instructor, and author of multiple respected books on painting, McGraw has reached heights so many living artists aspire to attain. From her work’s elegance and unmistakable polish, it’s easy to see why.

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Peter Hurd (1904-1984) - The New Mill at Los Chaves, watercolor, 20 ⅜ x 20 ⅛ in.

An accomplished watercolorist and artist in multiple media, Peter Hurd was inspired by the everyday lives of everyday New Mexicans. His work features portraits of friends and neighbors, local landscapes, and goings-on like the construction of a new mill.

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Kenneth Adams (1897-1966) - Taos Indian Woman, lithograph, 12 x 8 in.

The last artist to join the famed Taos Society of Artists in 1926, Kenneth Adams followed the same path to northern New Mexico trodden by many creatives of his day. However, Adams eventually associated himself more with the Albuquerque art scene, becoming a longtime instructor at the University of New Mexico.

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T.C. Cannon (1946-1978) - Turn of the Century Dandy, Ed. of 200, woodblock print, 18 ¾ x 13 in.

A painter, printmaker, poet, and all-around creative spirit, T.C. Cannon packed a lot of living—and much beauty—into his short life. His artistic mentor, Fritz Scholder, greatly influenced his colorful works centered on the Native American experience, exemplified here in Turn of the Century Dandy.

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Will Shuster (1893-1969) - San Miguel Church, etching, 4 x 3 in.

Will Shuster, a member of the early 20th century artists’ group, Los Cinco Pintores, was a self-taught artist who enjoyed working in a variety of media. Some of his most cherished pieces are his etchings of famous scenes around Santa Fe, the city that became his beloved home.

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Jozef G. Bakos (1891-1977) - Near the Pecos, watercolor, 21 x 22 ¾ in.

Founder of Los Cinco Pintores, Jozef Bakos was a Santa Fe transplant from Buffalo, New York, who believed in creating art not only for collectors, but also for the common man. After permanently moving to the city in 1920, he became heavily involved in the art scene and local affairs, earning his place as a beloved figure in Santa Fe history.

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George Phippen (1915-1966) - Yucca, watercolor and ink, 6 x 9 in.

One of the four founding members of the Cowboy Artists of America and its first president, George Phippen was a prominent figure in the mid-century resurgence of Western art. Known for his oils and watercolors with subtle humor, Phippen made a name for himself by commissioning works for calendars, Western movies, and more.

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Betsy James (b. 1948) - Late Light, First Star, watercolor & gouache, 5 x 5 in.

Betsy James is a lover of history, nature, art, and the culture of her native New Mexico. James combines her many passions in her art, which she creates from memory and imagination.

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Willard Clark (1910-1992) - St. Francis Cathedral, wood block print, 4 ½ x 5 ¾ in.

Raised in Argentina, Willard Clark first visited Santa Fe on a trip to California. Not only did he feel at home amongst the Spanish speakers, he also saw the opportunity to open a print shop, which he indeed opened and ran until the start of WWII. He then began working for Los Alamos National Laboratory—enjoying dual careers as a machinist and craftsman.

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Sally Hayden Von Conta - Candlelight - Santuario de Chimayo, pastel, 13 x 18 ¼ in.

Sally Hayden Von Conta arrived in Santa Fe in 1986 following a 25-year career as an advertising industry art director in New York. Today, she is active in the Northern New Mexico arts community, creating vivid plein air pastels of local landscapes, churches, and city scenes.

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John Sloan (1871-1951) - Knees and Aborigines, etching, 8 ¼ x 6 ⅞ in.

John Sloan was a classically trained artist from Pennsylvania, famous for his city street scenes and urban landscapes. He is also credited with founding the Ashcan school of American art. Starting in 1918, he began spending summers in Santa Fe for the next thirty years. The merging of cultures in the budding art colony found its way into his work, seen here in Knees and Aborigines.

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Louie Ewing (1908-1983) - Untitled (Evening Stroll), watercolor, 10 ¾ x 13 ¾ in.

After following his art instructor to Santa Fe in 1935, Louie Ewing became involved in the WPA’s federal art project. When the government sent silk screen supplies, Ewing was tasked with mastering the art form to teach to new students. This led to Ewing’s renown as one of the first to work creatively with serigraphy, though this rare watercolor shows how his unique, illustrative style transcended media.

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These pieces, and many others by these artists, are currently available at Nedra Matteucci Galleries in Santa Fe, New Mexico. For pricing, please call (505) 982-4631 or email inquiry@matteucci.com.

How Santa Fe Became An Art Mecca

The city of Santa Fe is synonymous with art and culture. In fact, it was the first city in the United States dubbed a “Creative City” by UNESCO and is the third largest art market in the country. 

But this 400-year-old city wasn’t always famous for art. It’s a reputation that’s only been building for the last century. So why Santa Fe?

Gustave Baumann - “Cordova Plaza” ed. of 200, color wood block, 7 ¾ x 7 ¾” 

For hundreds of years, Native artists resided in the Pueblos around Santa Fe developing their own art forms, and after the Gadsden Purchase made the Southwest a US territory, classically-trained artists frequented the region on short visits. Yet in the early 1900s, “Anglo” artists like Carlos Vierra, Warren Rollins, Gerald Cassidy, Sheldon Parsons and others began settling in Santa Fe more permanently.

The light and landscape, better cost of living, colorful and unfamiliar cultures, and dry climate that eased common illnesses were among the top draws. Coincidentally, this was occurring at the same time local Natives and townspeople realized the opportunity for tourism and promoting their own art, architecture and traditions.

Warren Rollins - “Native Portrait” (Untitled)          Oil on canvas, 30 x 18”

Henry C. Balink - “Sioux Chief - 1930s Pine Ridge”, oil/linen, 30 x 25”

Much of the groundwork was laid early on by an ambitious archaeologist and member of the Santa Fe City Planning Board, Edgar Lee Hewett. Not only was he instrumental in defining and promoting the “New-Old Santa Fe Style” of architecture, he also spearheaded the founding of the New Mexico Museum of Fine Art in 1917. 

Eventually a number of big names moved to Santa Fe, including Gustave Baumann, Robert Henri, John Sloan, Randall Davey, Frank Applegate, B.J.O Nordfeldt, Henry Balink, Andrew Dasburg and others.

Gustave Baumann - “Rio Pecos” #AP/100, 1920, Color wood block, 9 ½ x 11 ¼”  

B.J.O. Nordfeldt - “Untitled” (Still Life), oil on canvas, 26 x 38”                                 

By the early 1920s, dedicated social clubs and associations began to form, which led to the founding of the preeminent artist group in Santa Fe– Los Cinco Pintores. These five artists, mostly young and self-taught, sought to develop their skills and forge a reputation together.

It started with Fremont Ellis, the young optometrist and painter from El Paso, and grew to include Will Shuster, Josef Bakos, Walter Mruk and Willard Nash. They quickly found a mentor to help grow their talents: accomplished artist, Albert Herman Schmidt.

Will Shuster - “Self Portrait”, oil on board, 16 x 12”

Young artists also found assistance from the new art museum, which helped with framing, building shipping crates and photographing their works for marketing. The annual exhibitions held at the museum, juried and open to all artists, led to invaluable exposure and patronage.

Fremont Ellis - “Aspens By A Mountain Pond”, oil on canvas, 24 x 30”

Soon the art world flourished in Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico. Gallerists, curators and patrons flocked to the state to fill their museums and private collections with this desirable new school of American art.

Will Shuster - “San Miguel Church”, etching, 4 x 3”

Willard Clark - “Woman With Child, House & Tree”, wood block print (first printing), 4 ⅞ x 4 ⅞”

The promotional strategy of groups like Los Cinco Pintores was a major success. Their personal reputations grew and many of them became legendary in the area, such as Will Shuster, the eccentric and beloved founder of Zozobra. 

Though the group only stayed intact from 1921-1926, their impact on the city would last. They and the artists from the early Santa Fe art colony influenced generations of painters, sculptors and potters. Thus turning Santa Fe into not only a muse, but a mainstay of the global art market.

Fremont Ellis - “Forest Gulch In Spring”, oil on canvas, 25 x 30”

All works in this article are currently available at Nedra Matteucci Galleries in Santa Fe. For questions or inquiries, please email inquiry@matteucci.com or call us at (505) 982-4631.

Sources: https://www.canyonroadarts.com/founding-the-santa-fe-art-colony/